"I'm not a very ambitious person," Anfey said to Baery .
Baery snorted . "You're always where you're supposed to be," he said . "That can't always be a coincidence . "
"Maybe . I want a peaceful life as much as everyone, but it seems like the world has other plans for me . "
"I had a talk with Christian," Baery said . "He trusts you . I trust his opinions, of course, but I need to know more about you before I can work with you . "
"Work with me?"
"A lot of people call me a madman," Baery said with a sigh . "But this world is cruel . I have to be ruthless to survive . Scarlet is braver than we expected and she is disrupting the plan . What happened to Slanbrea had aroused suspicion, as well . We are at a disadvantage right now . Scarlet and Fernando's alliance is very strong, at least at the moment . Knights of Divine Wind also have been sent to aid Fernando . There are not a lot of members in that order, but every single member is at least a silver knight . They can be a decisive factor in this war .
"But, we still have hope . You and Marino are very important . Scarlet maybe working with the Church, but I'm not worried . They cannot touch me . But at the same time, I cannot touch them, either . That is where you and Marino come in . "
Anfey nodded but did not say anything . He did not know if he had enough power and influence to affect the situation . If Baery was speaking on Yolanthe's behalf, then this must be part of a larger plan . All he needed to do was listen .
"When you were at Zagreen, you ordered the murder of those priests and knights, didn't you?"
Anfey nodded .
Baery shook his head . "You couldn't have known, but other than Martin, there were several other spies among those priests and knights . Some spent decades infiltrating the Church . Your mercenaries murdered some valuable informants at your order . "
"I…I didn't know . "
Baery sighed . "This is why Yolanthe decided to grant you access to some information relating to the Church . Black Eleven will be in charge of receiving this information from Sacred City . "
"I see," Anfey said, nodding . He appeared very calm, but in reality he was very surprised by Baery's announcement . Even though this might not seem like a great honor, it showed how much Yolanthe trusted him . It was an important step towards becoming a member of the class of political elites . It showed that Yolanthe fully trusted and accepted him .
"No one knows what the necromancers want or what they're planning," Baery continued . "But we do know that they are not using their full power . That is why Yolanthe asked us to prevent a full scale conflict . Scarlet must be thinking the same thing, or else she wouldn't have let me get passed her . Yolanthe believes that considering this situation, it's unrealistic for Maho Empire to forcibly take over this country . What may work is to help one person take control of the Country of Mercenaries . "
"Me?" Anfey asked, incredulous .
Baery nodded . "Yolanthe believes that the biggest threat to our society is privileges . Especially privileges of the upper class . In order to get people to work for you, you need to give them benefits . You need to convince them that following you would work out favorably for them . As long as there are benefits, people will be loyal to you willingly . The larger the benefits, the less likely they will be to rebel against you and take others' offers . But this affects the development of society, which is why ever since he became the ruler, he's been actively trying to weaken upper-class privileges . "
"But what should we do about it?" Anfey asked . "The only thing I can think of is ending the system of nobility, but that's not practical, is it?"
"How is it not?"
"What?" Anfey asked, his eyes widening . "My title is legal, isn't it?"
"Legality is not the issue," Baery said . "You can't give too many titles, but you have to be generous at the same time . If people do not know how beneficial it is to ally with you, it may not work out in your favor . "
"But…"
"Don't forget, Lord Marino received a title as well," Baery reminded him . "And he needs to give titles to his men . You can ally with him . As long as you two recognize each other as nobility, it will make things much easier . "
"Really? Isn't it a bit ridiculous?"
"What you think isn't important," Baery said . "What's important is what he thinks . Marino defected . What do you think about that?"
Anfey frowned and shook his head . He had good reason to hide the fact that he did not know what Baery was talking about .
"Mercenaries believe in freedom . They believe that each man is his own and needs to fight for a living . But everyone wants to follow tradition . A lot of people have been calling for changes . They want reassurance for themselves and their families . "
"Oh," Anfey said . "Now I see . "
"There are a lot of capable mercenaries, but no one can be sure what their children will be like . If they can have a fulfilling life without risking their lives everyday, they will take that chance . They need reassurance . Traditions are like habits . They're hard to change, but they can be changed . "
Anfey took a deep breath and nodded . He had similar thoughts before, but he could not analyze the situation as deeply as Baery could . He wanted to try and change this country in the direction Baery talked about .
"I think we've talked enough," Baery said . "Do you need anything?"
Anfey thought about it and said, "Money . "
"I can't to anything about that," Baery said, shaking his head . "Blackwater and White Mountain are both wealthy cities . It's better to go to them . "
"I'm worried about Scarlet . "
"She won't do anything," Baery said . "Just like I won't do anything until I'm fully convinced that I will win, she won't, either . Maybe she will aid Tiger of Tawau mercenary group a bit, but that shouldn't be a problem, should it?"
"That's not an easy opponent," Anfey said . "I don't know what Hotchbini is doing and I'm worried about her . "
"Give me a few days," Baery said with a nod . "I'll get you more information on that city . "
I'm not a very ambitious person, Anfey said to Baery
Baery snorted . You're always where you're supposed to be, he said . That can't always be a coincidence . .
Maybe . I want a peaceful life as much as everyone, but it seems like the world has other plans for me . .
I had a talk with Christian, Baery said . He trusts you . I trust his opinions, of course, but I need to know more about you before I can work with you . .
Work with me?.
A lot of people call me a madman, Baery said with a sigh . But this world is cruel . I have to be ruthless to survive . Scarlet is braver than we expected and she is disrupting the plan . What happened to Slanbrea had aroused suspicion, as well . We are at a disadvantage right now . Scarlet and Fernando's alliance is very strong, at least at the moment . Knights of Divine Wind also have been sent to aid Fernando . There are not a lot of members in that order, but every single member is at least a silver knight . They can be a decisive factor in this war
But, we still have hope . You and Marino are very important . Scarlet maybe working with the Church, but I'm not worried . They cannot touch me . But at the same time, I cannot touch them, either . That is where you and Marino come in . .
Anfey nodded but did not say anything . He did not know if he had enough power and influence to affect the situation . If Baery was speaking on Yolanthe's behalf, then this must be part of a larger plan . All he needed to do was listen
When you were at Zagreen, you ordered the murder of those priests and knights, didn't you?.
Anfey nodded
Baery shook his head . You couldn't have known, but other than Martin, there were several other spies among those priests and knights . Some spent decades infiltrating the Church . Your mercenaries murdered some valuable informants at your order . .
I…I didn't know . .
Baery sighed . This is why Yolanthe decided to grant you access to some information relating to the Church . Black Eleven will be in charge of receiving this information from Sacred City . .
I see, Anfey said, nodding . He appeared very calm, but in reality he was very surprised by Baery's announcement . Even though this might not seem like a great honor, it showed how much Yolanthe trusted him . It was an important step towards becoming a member of the class of political elites . It showed that Yolanthe fully trusted and accepted him
No one knows what the necromancers want or what they're planning, Baery continued . But we do know that they are not using their full power . That is why Yolanthe asked us to prevent a full scale conflict . Scarlet must be thinking the same thing, or else she wouldn't have let me get passed her . Yolanthe believes that considering this situation, it's unrealistic for Maho Empire to forcibly take over this country . What may work is to help one person take control of the Country of Mercenaries . .
Me? Anfey asked, incredulous
Baery nodded . Yolanthe believes that the biggest threat to our society is privileges . Especially privileges of the upper class . In order to get people to work for you, you need to give them benefits . You need to convince them that following you would work out favorably for them . As long as there are benefits, people will be loyal to you willingly . The larger the benefits, the less likely they will be to rebel against you and take others' offers . But this affects the development of society, which is why ever since he became the ruler, he's been actively trying to weaken upper-class privileges . .
But what should we do about it? Anfey asked . The only thing I can think of is ending the system of nobility, but that's not practical, is it?.
How is it not?.
What? Anfey asked, his eyes widening . My title is legal, isn't it?.
Legality is not the issue, Baery said . You can't give too many titles, but you have to be generous at the same time . If people do not know how beneficial it is to ally with you, it may not work out in your favor . .
But….
Don't forget, Lord Marino received a title as well, Baery reminded him . And he needs to give titles to his men . You can ally with him . As long as you two recognize each other as nobility, it will make things much easier . .
Really? Isn't it a bit ridiculous?.
What you think isn't important, Baery said . What's important is what he thinks . Marino defected . What do you think about that?.
Anfey frowned and shook his head . He had good reason to hide the fact that he did not know what Baery was talking about
Mercenaries believe in freedom . They believe that each man is his own and needs to fight for a living . But everyone wants to follow tradition . A lot of people have been calling for changes . They want reassurance for themselves and their families . .
Oh, Anfey said . Now I see . .
There are a lot of capable mercenaries, but no one can be sure what their children will be like . If they can have a fulfilling life without risking their lives everyday, they will take that chance . They need reassurance . Traditions are like habits . They're hard to change, but they can be changed . .
Anfey took a deep breath and nodded . He had similar thoughts before, but he could not analyze the situation as deeply as Baery could . He wanted to try and change this country in the direction Baery talked about
I think we've talked enough, Baery said . Do you need anything?.
Anfey thought about it and said, Money . .
I can't to anything about that, Baery said, shaking his head . Blackwater and White Mountain are both wealthy cities . It's better to go to them . .
I'm worried about Scarlet . .
She won't do anything, Baery said . Just like I won't do anything until I'm fully convinced that I will win, she won't, either . Maybe she will aid Tiger of Tawau mercenary group a bit, but that shouldn't be a problem, should it?.
That's not an easy opponent, Anfey said . I don't know what Hotchbini is doing and I'm worried about her . .
Give me a few days, Baery said with a nod . I'll get you more information on that city . .
Chapter end
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